The British Association of Private Dentistry (BAPD) has raised concerns after it was brought to the Association’s attention that UK dental publications are carrying advertisements, including price lists, from overseas dental laboratories.
The BAPD recognises that these publications are commercial and rely on advertising revenue. Even so, carrying these adverts takes no account of the serious difficulties British dental laboratories are currently facing.
The BAPD fully supports home-grown laboratories and dental technicians. The Association warns that more UK laboratories will struggle if work moves overseas purely because these laboratories appear to cost less.
Price alone does not tell the whole story. Clinicians choosing a laboratory should ask whether the quality controls and regulation that overseas laboratories work under are as robust as those in the UK. Patients deserve the same assurance whoever makes their appliance.
More UK laboratories are closing, and fewer new dental technicians are qualifying and registering in the UK. The profession is in real danger of losing a vitally important part of its workforce, along with the skills, experience and close working relationships that support high-quality patient care.
Simon Thackeray, President of the BAPD, said: “Our dental technicians are an essential part of the dental team, and once laboratories close and those skills are lost, they will be very hard to replace. We would urge colleagues to look beyond the headline price and think carefully about quality, regulation and the long-term future of the profession. The BAPD is fully behind our British laboratories and technicians.”
